Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Leprosy |
LeprosyNoun1. Chronic granulomatous communicable disease occurring in tropical and subtropical regions; characterized by inflamed nodules beneath the skin and wasting of body parts; caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium leprae. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "leprosy" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1321. (references) |
| Domain | Definition |
Bible | Leprosy (Heb. tsara'ath, a "smiting," a "stroke," because the disease was regarded as a direct providential infliction). This name is from the Greek lepra, by which the Greek physicians designated the disease from its scaliness. We have the description of the disease, as well as the regulations connected with it, in Lev. 13; 14; Num. 12:10-15, etc. There were reckoned six different circumstances under which it might develop itself, (1) without any apparent cause (Lev. 13:2-8); (2) its reappearance (9-17); (3) from an inflammation (18-28); (4) on the head or chin (29-37); (5) in white polished spots (38, 39); (6) at the back or in the front of the head (40-44). Lepers were required to live outside the camp or city (Num. 5:1-4; 12:10-15, etc.). This disease was regarded as an awful punishment from the Lord (2 Kings 5:7; 2 Chr. 26:20). (See MIRIAM; GEHAZI; UZZIAH.) This disease "begins with specks on the eyelids and on the palms, gradually spreading over the body, bleaching the hair white wherever they appear, crusting the affected parts with white scales, and causing terrible sores and swellings. From the skin the disease eats inward to the bones, rotting the whole body piecemeal." "In Christ's day no leper could live in a walled town, though he might in an open village. But wherever he was he was required to have his outer garment rent as a sign of deep grief, to go bareheaded, and to cover his beard with his mantle, as if in lamentation at his own virtual death. He had further to warn passers-by to keep away from him, by calling out, 'Unclean! unclean!' nor could he speak to any one, or receive or return a salutation, since in the East this involves an embrace." That the disease was not contagious is evident from the regulations regarding it (Lev. 13:12, 13, 36; 2 Kings 5:1). Leprosy was "the outward and visible sign of the innermost spiritual corruption; a meet emblem in its small beginnings, its gradual spread, its internal disfigurement, its dissolution little by little of the whole body, of that which corrupts, degrades, and defiles man's inner nature, and renders him unmeet to enter the presence of a pure and holy God" (Maclear's Handbook O.T). Our Lord cured lepers (Matt. 8:2, 3; Mark 1:40-42). This divine power so manifested illustrates his gracious dealings with men in curing the leprosy of the soul, the fatal taint of sin. Source: Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary. |
Botanical | A chronic disease affecting the skin and nerves. Treated with Agave, Anacardium, Caesalpinia, Calotropis, Casearia, Cassia, Ceiba, Drepanocarpus, Fevillea, Hura, Hydrocotyle, Lantana, Luffa, Momordica, Pentaclethra, Plumbago, Rhizophora, Ricinus, Serjania, Smilax, Solanum. (references) |
Dream Interpretation | To dream that you are infected with this dread disease, foretells sickness, by which you will lose money and incur the displeasure of others. If you see others afflicted thus, you will meet discouraging prospects and love will turn into indifference. Source: Ten Thousand Dreams Interpreted .... |
Health | A chronic granulomatous infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae. The granulomatous lesions are manifested in the skin, the mucous membranes, and the peripheral nerves. Two polar or principal types are lepromatous and tuberculoid. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Hansen's disease, also known as leprosy, is an infectious disease caused by infection by Mycobacterium leprae. The modern name of the disease is named for the discoverer of Mycobacterium leprae, G. A. Hansen. Sufferers from Hansen's disease have generally been called lepers, although term is falling into disuse both from the diminishing number of leprosy patients and from pressure to avoid the demeaning connotations of the term.Leprosy used to be incurable, and severely disfiguring. Lepers were shunned and sequestered in "leper colonies". Now known as Hansen's disease, leprosy is easily curable by multidrug antibiotic therapy.
The main challenges for Hansen's disease elimination efforts are to reach populations that have not yet received multidrug therapy services, improve detection of the disease, and provide patients with high-quality services and free drugs.
Clinical Features
This chronic infectious disease usually affects the skin and peripheral nerves but has a wide range of possible clinical manifestations. Patients are classified as having paucibacillary or multibacillary Hansen's disease. Paucibacillary Hansen's disease is milder and characterized by one or more hypopigmented skin macules. Multibacillary Hansen's disease is associated with symmetric skin lesions, nodules, plaques, thickened dermis, and frequent involvement of the nasal mucosa resulting in nasal congestion and epistaxis.
Etiologic Agent
The cause of this disease is a bacillus, Mycobacterium leprae, that multiplies very slowly and mainly affects the skin, nerves, and mucous membranes. The organism has never been grown in bacteriologic media or cell culture, but has been grown in mouse foot pads. It is related to M. tuberculosis, the bacillus that causes tuberculosis.
Incidence
In 1999, the world incidence of Hansen's disease was estimated to be 640,000; and in 2000, 738,284 cases were identified. In 1999, 108 cases occurred in the United States. In 2000, the World Health Organization (WHO) listed 91 countries in which Hansen's disease is endemic, with India, Myanmar, and Nepal having 70% of cases.
Sequelae
Worldwide, 1-2 million persons are permanently disabled as a result of Hansen's disease. However, persons receiving antibiotic treatment or having completed treatment are considered free of active infection.
Transmission
Although the mode of transmission of Hansen's disease remains uncertain, most investigators think that M. leprae is usually spread from person to person in respiratory droplets. What is known is that the transmission rate is very low.
Risk Groups
Close contacts with patients with untreated, active, predominantly multibacillary disease, and persons living in countries with highly endemic disease.
Surveillance
Hansen's disease is nationally notifiable in the United States.
Trends
Incidence/prevalence has remained relatively stable in the United States. There are decreasing numbers of cases worldwide, with pockets of high prevalence in certain countries.
Opportunities
Hansen's disease in the Western Pacific is a particular problem and opportunities exist for participation in Hansen's disease elimination activities in endemic-disease countries, and in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
Asylums
There are still a few 'leper colonies' around the world. In the United States on the tiny island of Molokai in the Hawaiian chain is the oldest leper colony in America. Government run leper colonies in Japan in 2001 came under judicial scrutiny ruling the Japanese government had mistreated the patients. Leper colonies are located in India and the Philippines, with high likelihood there are many more in many more countries.
External link
- http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/hansens_t.htm
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Hansen's disease."
| The following table is compiled from various sources, across various languages. When English abbreviations or acronyms come from a non-English source, this is noted. | |||
| Entry | Source | Expression | Field |
| LEP | English | Leprosy Elimination Programme | Medicine |
Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |||
Synonym: LeprosySynonym: Hansen's disease. (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Disease | Sore, ulcer, abscess, fester, boil; pimple, wen; (swelling); carbuncle, gathering, imposthume, peccant humor, issue; rot, canker, cold sore, fever sore; cancer, carcinoma, leukemia, neoplastic disease, malignancy, tumor; caries, mortification, corruption, gangrene, sphacelus, sphacelation, leprosy; eruption, rash, breaking out. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
| Domain | Title | ||
Books |
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Music |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | Armadillos used in leprosy research. Credit: CDC. |  | M. leprae is the cause of leprosy, or Hansen's disease. A slow-multiplying bacterium, it mainly affects the skin, nerves, and mucous membranes. In 1999, the world incidence was estimated to be 640,000, and in 2000, 738,284 cases were identified. Credit: CDC. |
 | H. Arnold Karo Director of Coast and Geodetic Survey 1955-1965 Deputy Administrator of ESSA with rank of Vice-Admiral 1965-1966 With Moro Dwarf Dicky Dicky who was local judge Dicky Dicky was 47 and later found to have leprosy. Credit: Coast & Geodetic Survey Historical Image Collection. |  | Care For Your Eyes : Eye Care for People with Leprosy. Credit: National Library of Medicine. |
 | Leprosy or Hansen's Disease cannot be easily caught from someone else : You can lead a normal life. Credit: National Library of Medicine. |  | Anyone Can Get Leprosy : But Leprosy Can Be Cured. Credit: National Library of Medicine. |
 | Go To The Hospital Today : Leprosy Can Be Cured. Credit: National Library of Medicine. |  | Tuberculosis - Smallpox Much More Contagious Than Leprosy. Credit: National Library of Medicine. |
 | Hospital Medicine Cures Leprosy. Credit: National Library of Medicine. |  | Not A Divine Curse Not By Birth : Leprosy Is Caused Only By Germs. Credit: National Library of Medicine. |
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
| Title | Author | Quote |
Les Miserables | Hugo, Victor | This stone is exempt no more than the rest from the leprosy of time, from the mould, the lichen, and the droppings of the birds |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | Leprosy (Medicine in the Tropics). (references) | |
Human Rights | Brazil | Scabies and tuberculosis, diseases not common in the general population, are widespread in Sao Paulo prisons, as are HIV/AIDS infection and leprosy. (references) |
Japan | In May the Kumamoto District Court ordered the Government to pay $15 million (1.89 billion yen) to 127 plaintiffs suffering from Hansen's Disease who were confined to remote sanatoriums under the 1953 Leprosy Prevention Law, after a cure for the disease had been developed. (references) | |
Travel | Bolivia | Malaria, leishmanioses, and yellow fever are found in the jungles in Bolivia's northern and eastern regions, and white leprosy and yellow fever are sometimes found in the Yungas Region of La Paz. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| "Leprosy" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 100.00% of the time. "Leprosy" is used about 71 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (singular) | 100% | 71 | 39,674 |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| The following table summarizes names derived from the word "leprosy". | |||
| Name | Gender | Language | Meaning |
| Zareah | N/A | Biblical | Leprosy |
| Zorah | N/A | Biblical | Leprosy |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references.
| |||
Expressions using "leprosy": afflict with leprosy ♦ lepromatous leprosy ♦ leprosy bacillus ♦ tuberculoid leprosy. Additional references. | |
| Hyphenated Usage | |
Beginning with "leprosy": leprosy-infected. | |
Ending with "leprosy": letter-leprosy. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Language | Translations for "leprosy"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | |
Albanian | lebroz (lay over, leper, leprous), lebër, gërbula. (various references) | |
Arabic | جذام. (various references) | |
Bulgarian | корупция (corruption), морална зараза, проказа. (various references) | |
Chinese | 麻疯病, 痲 (numb). (various references) | |
Czech | lepra, malomocenství. (various references) | |
Danish | spedalskhed. (various references) | |
Dutch | melaatsheid, lepra. (various references) | |
Esperanto | lepro. (various references) | |
Farsi | مرض جذام(طب), خوره (Canker, Leper), جذام . (various references) | |
Finnish | lepra, spitaalitauti. (various references) | |
French | lèpre. (various references) | |
German | lepra, Aussatz (pestilence). (various references) | |
Greek | λέπρα. (various references) | |
Hebrew | צרעת (plague), 'ע (blow, evil, lesion, pestilence, plague, punishment, scurf, stroke, trouble). (various references) | |
Hungarian | lepra. (various references) | |
Indonesian | penyakit kusta, baras. (various references) | |
Italian | lebbra. (various references) | |
Japanese Kanji | 癩病 , ハンセン病 (employee of a messenger or delivery service, Hamburg, Hamburg steak, hamburger, hammer, hammock, hand, hand carrier, hand lotion, handbag, hand-ball, handbook, handcart, Handelsblatt, handicap, handicraft, hand-knit, handle, handler, handlift, handling, handmade, handout, handshake, handwork, handy, handy mook, humble, hunt, hunter, hunter killer, hunting, hunting cap, Hunting World, manual forklift, oscillatory behavior of a non-converging feedback loop, pallet jack, steering wheel), ライ病 (Hansen's disease), 天刑病 . (various references) | |
Japanese Katakana | ハンセンびょう, らいびょう, て"けいびょう. (various references) | |
Korean | 나병. (various references) | |
Manx | lourey, louraneys, louraanys, loihrey. (various references) | |
Norwegian | spedalskhet. (various references) | |
Papiamen | lepra. (various references) | |
Pig Latin | eprosylay.(various references) | |
Portuguese | lepra. (various references) | |
Romanian | leprã (villain). (various references) | |
Russian | проказа (caper, devilry). (various references) | |
Scottish | mùire. (various references) | |
Serbo-Croatian | lepra, guba (evil, mange). (various references) | |
Spanish | lepra. (various references) | |
Sranan | takrusiki, kokobe, gwasi, bwasi. (various references) | |
Swedish | spetälska. (various references) | |
Thai | โรคเรื้อน. (various references) | |
Turkish | cüzam (leprous). (various references) | |
Ukrainian | проказа. (various references) | |
Vietnamese | bệnh phong, bệnh hủi. (various references) | |
Welsh | gwahan.glwyf. (various references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references. | ||
| Language | Period | Translations |
| Greek | 700 BCE-300 CE | lepra. (various references) |
| Latin | 500 BCE-Modern | Bacillus leprae, Bacterium leprae, Coccothrix leprae, Discomyces leprae, lepra, leprae, lepram, Mycobacterium leprae, Sclerothrix leprae. (various references) |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Language | Date | Source | Mark Chapter 1, Verse 42 |
| Greek (transliterated) | 250 BC | Septuagint | Kai eipontoV autou euqewV aphlqen ap autou h lepra kai ekaqarisqh |
| Latin | 405 | Vulgate | Et cum dixisset statim discessit ab eo lepra et mundatus est |
| Old English | 990 | West Saxon | & þa he þus cwæð; sona syo reoflysshim fram ge-wat. & he wæs ge-clænsed. |
| Middle English | 1395 | Wyclif | And whanne he hadde seide this, anoon the lepre partyde awey fro hym, and he was clensyd. |
| Renaissance English | 1526 | Tyndale | And assone as he had spoke immediatly ye leprosy departed fro him and was clensed. |
| Jacobean English | 1611 | King James | And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. |
| Victorian English | 1833 | Webster | And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. |
| Basic English | 1964 | Ogden | And straight away the disease went from him, and he was made clean. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Language | Mark Chapter 1, Verse 42 |
| Cebuano | Ug dihadiha nawad-an siya sa sanla ug nahimong mahinlo. |
| Croatian | I odmah nesta s njega gube i oèisti se. |
| Danish | Og straks forlod Spedalskheden ham, og han blev renset. |
| Dutch | En als Hij dit gezegd had, ging de melaatsheid terstond van hem, en hij werd gereinigd. |
| Finnish | Ja kohta pitali lähti hänestä, ja hän puhdistui. |
| French | Aussitôt la lèpre le quitta, et il fut purifié. |
| Gaelic | `S nuair thuirt e so, ghrad-dh` fhag an luibhre e, agus bha e air a ghlanadh. |
| German | Und als er so sprach, ging der Aussatz alsbald von ihm, und er ward rein. |
| Haitian Creole | Menm lè a, lalèp la kite l', li geri, li te nan kondisyon pou fè sèvis Bondye. |
| Hungarian | És a mint ezt mondja vala, azonnal eltávozék tõle a poklosság és megtisztula. |
| Indonesian-Bahasa Sehari-hari | Saat itu juga penyakitnya hilang dan ia sembuh. |
| Indonesian-Terjemahan Lama | Seketika itu juga lenyaplah bala zaraat daripada orang itu, lalu tahirlah ia. |
| Italian | Subito la lebbra scomparve ed egli guarì. |
| Maori | A, puaki kau tona reo, kua kore tona repera, na kua ma. |
| Norwegian | Og straks forlot spedalskheten ham, og han blev renset. |
| Portuguese | Imediatamente desapareceu dele a lepra e ficou limpo. |
| Rumanian | Kndatq l -a lqsat lepra, wi s`a curqyit. |
| Russian | рПУМЕ УЕЗП УМПЧБ ТПЛБЪБ ФПФЮБУ УПЫМБ У ОЕЗП, Й ПО УФБМ ЮЙУФ. |
| Shuar | Nu chichamaik, Jesus chichakmatai, ni sunkuri menkakamiayi. Tura pénker ajasmiayi. |
| Swahili | Mara ukoma ukamwacha mtu huyo, akatakasika. |
| Swedish | Och strax vek spetälskan ifrån honom, och han blev ren. |
| Uma | Hampinisi mata, moronto-mi haki' -na, mo'uri' -imi. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
Derivations | |
Words ending with "leprosy": antileprosy. (additional references) | |
| |
"Leprosy" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: leporsy, leprocy, leprosi, leproy, Leurbost, Luperfoy. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "leprosy" (pronounced le"prusē) |
| 4 | -r u s ē | aristocracy, autocracy, bureaucracy, conspiracy, democracy, heresy, hypocrisy, meritocracy, piracy, pleurisy, secrecy, theocracy. |
| 3 | -u s ē | accuracy, adequacy, advocacy, Argosy, candidacy, celibacy, confederacy, courtesy, degeneracy, delicacy, diplomacy, jealousy, legacy, ecstasy, embassy, fallacy, fantasy, Geodesy, idiocy, illegitimacy, illiteracy, immediacy, inaccuracy, inadequacy, intimacy, intricacy, legitimacy, literacy, lunacy, obstinacy, Odyssey, papacy, pharmacy, policy, primacy, privacy, prophecy, supremacy, surrogacy. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "e-l-o-p-r-s-y" | |
-1 letter: lopers, osprey, plyers, polers, proles, sloper, sorely, splore. | |
-2 letters: loper, lopes, lores, loser, lyres, orles, oyers, ploys, plyer, poesy, poler, poles, polys, pores, poser, preys, prole, prose, prosy, pyres, reply, repos, roles, ropes, ropey, sepoy, slope, slyer, slype, sorel, spore, yelps, yores. | |
-3 letters: epos, eros, espy, leys, lope, lops, lore, lory, lose, lyes. | |
| Words containing the letters "e-l-o-p-r-s-y" | |
+1 letter: polymers, prostyle, protyles, pyrroles. | |
+2 letters: employers, foreplays, horseplay, hypergols, layperson, leprously, operosely, overplays, playgoers, polyester, polypores, profusely, proselyte, prostyles, purposely, pyloruses, pyrolizes, pyrolyses, pyrolyzes, redeploys, reemploys. | |
+3 letters: copolymers, epistolary, gyroplanes, horseplays, hyperbolas, hyperboles, laypersons, micropyles, narcolepsy, oversimply, oversupply, pelycosaur, perilously, personally, personalty, polyesters, polymerase, polymerise, polymerism, polyparies, polywaters, preciously, previously, propylenes, proselyted, proselytes, pyrologies, pyrolusite, pyrolysate, pyrolyzers, sportively, superalloy, superiorly, suppletory, upholstery, viperously. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Commercial | 5. Images: Slideshow 6. Images: Photo Album 7. Quotations: Fiction 8. Quotations: Non-fiction | 9. Usage Frequency 10. Names: Derived from 11. Expressions 12. Expressions: Internet | 13. Translations: Modern 14. Translations: Ancient 15. Bible Trace 16. Abbreviations | 17. Acronyms 18. Derivations 19. Rhymes 20. Anagrams | 21. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
